


Someone else's magic

by lostinprocrastination



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-01-27 14:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1714238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinprocrastination/pseuds/lostinprocrastination
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is me filling the first prompt I ever got on Tumblr: "Emma is pregnant but she doesn't know yet, her mom is the who notice first (because all family live together in the loft). Captain Swan and Charming family moment. P.s.: cute moment where her parents tell her that she is gonna be an amazing mom."</p>
<p>Buildup, then the actual prompt filling. Enjoy and don't mind my complete lack of ability to make up titles!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She's sick again.  _Ugh_.

She doesn't get it. For the past couple of days nothing's been staying in her stomach, and she can't even say it's because she's sick of Granny's food. Every week Killian goes to the docks to get fresh fish and prepares them the most delicious and creative meals 300 years at sea could make him think of, but not even that has been doing the trick lately.

He's been incredibly worried, either making her eat jello all the time (one of these days she's gonna have to tell him the truth about that, but he's just so damn adorable about the whole thing) or insisting, fruitlessly, that she goes to the hospital to see Whale. Right.  _A_ s  _if_  she's gonna let Doctor freaking Frankenstein put his hands on her because she's been  _barfing_  (he's had sex with her mother for crying out loud,  _ew_ ). No, it's probably just some food poisoning and she needs to purge whatever her body's rejecting. She'll be fine within the next 24 hours, she's sure. Whatever else could it be anyway?

It's tiring though. Sure, Elsa stopped being a threat after her sister Anna got to Storybrooke from Arendelle (which, really?  _For god's sake_ , she'd taken Henry to watch Frozen in New York only a couple of weeks before Killian showed up, how do these things even work? if anyone ever thought that would help her be completely cool with living with and being related to fairytale characters, they were  _wrong_ ), but without a steady energy intake her everyday responsibilities at the station are starting to take their toll on her. Killian and Henry try their best to take care of her, bless their hearts, but they can only do so much when she herself doesn't even know what she really has or how to cure it, so she decides she needs something else tonight. She needs her mom.

She's figuring out how she's gonna break it to her boys when Regina walks in the station, all impeccably tailored mini suits and smiles. It's sure been weird seeing her so happy since Robin finally got the strength to tell Marian it was she he was in love with - a good kind of weird, sure, but weird still.

"Emma!" God, one day she'll get used to not be called 'Miss Swan' by the mayor, but not today. "Emma, listen, Robin is taking Roland on an overnight camping trip tonight, are you okay with Henry coming along?"

Up until this point she's hidden from Regina's view by a pillar, and decides not to shout her answer to save some energy. That's how awful she feels. Once the brunette takes a look at her, she gets worried. "Oh my God, Emma, you look awful!"

"Yeah thank you for the  _compliment_ , Regina", she quips sarcastically.

"Oh do you  _really_  think that's what I mean? Honestly,  _Miss Swan_..."

Emma smiles. She genuinely loves this new happy, reasonable and friendly Regina, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't find riling her up sometimes a lot of fun. Huh. Maybe she shouldn't be so mad at Killian when he does it to her.

"I know, I know, I'm just picking on you", she concedes. "I haven't been able to keep anything down for a couple of days and it shows."

"Food poisoning?"

"Having a hard time trying to come up with a different explanation here."

"Rest assured, I had nothing to do with it...this time!" Now both women are laughing, and it's as nice as it is unfamiliar.

"About Henry...it's probably good that you don't have to take care of him tonight then, right?"

"Yeah, it really came at a perfect time! I was thinking of something to tell him because I feel like having my mom pampering me this evening. Actually...would Robin be interested in taking two more kids? They look like grown men, but  _trust me_ , they're children."

"You mean the other two stooges? Don't worry, mine will be delighted!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, Robin's truck stops outside the station and four very excited boys pop out. Inbetween Henry anticipating how  _awesome_  their trip's gonna be and Roland being the most adorable little boy in his father's arms, Killian gets close to her with a worried expression.

"You look so tired, love", he whispers with his forehead touching hers and his hand on her cheek, "are you sure it's okay for me to go? I can stay and take care of you, you know I won't mind not going, right?"

"I know you won't, but I will. Go, you should be with your mates and have fun, I have my mommy to take care of me!"

"Ah, look at that, Swan, you and your  _mommy_  have come such a long way! Who would have thought, hmm?"

"You would" she says seriously before capturing his lips with hers and kissing him deeply until Robin honks them apart.

"Would you lovebirds move along? I'd like to have our tent up sometime before the sun goes down...unless the pirate has decided not to go!"

"Oh, bugger off, you bloody git! You'd be the same if your madam mayor was here!"

"Oy! Mind the kids, will ya? But you do have a point, so hop back in before I decide to just go back home to Regina!"

"Nooooooooooo, papa, you promised!"

"Don't worry, Roland, your dad and Killian are just being big babies", says Emma, cutting in. "Now get out of here, all of you!"

"Mom, get in the car...we're going to get grandpa anyway!"

"Okay, I'm going to accept the lift. The bug can stay here until tomorrow. Shall we, boys?"

* * *

She can't believe what she's seeing. David Nolan, Prince Charming, ruler of the freaking Enchanted Forest, in full camping gear. She tries not to say anything because he looks so damn excited, but when all the boys burst into laughter she laughs right along with them.

"What? We'll see who's laughing when the mosquitoes come and none of you is prepared!" He then turns to Emma with the same concerned expression she's getting used to get from everybody.  _Sigh_. "Emma, I'm going with these guys but if you need  _anything_  you call me, okay? My phone will be on any time of day or night!"

"Not that I'm as familiar as you with this world's particularities yet, mate", interrupts Killian, "but wouldn't you need a power source to keep that phone on that long?"

"Do you wanna stay in town, pirate? Because I'm an authority, you know!"

"I would, but  _your boss_  ordered me to go!"

"Gee, I wonder why!"

"Hey hey hey you two!" Emma knows they're just teasing each other, but if someone doesn't break up their banter they can go at it for ages.  _Boys_. "You're both giving me a headache, so go. I'll be perfectly fine with my mom and my brother. Now Roland", she says, turning to the little one. "Do you and Henry promise me not to let the big children get in any trouble?"

"I do, Em, I do! We will keep them in line!", he answers slowly and solemnly, like he's been practicing.  _Such a cutie._  Everyone but her moves to get back in the car and she stops Henry on his tracks to give him a kiss goodbye.

"Don't worry, mom, those guys are all talk! But if they do get in trouble...that's okay, we know the sheriff!"

"Hey, aren't you getting cheeky! Go on kid, have a great time!"

"We will. I'll see you tomorrow, mom!"

She finally goes up to the loft when the truck disappears along the road. Before she goes through the door, she gets a text from Henry's number.

_Wouldn't wanna use up the battery on your father's phone, so I borrowed the lad's. Please tell your mother to give you some jello, will you? See you tomorrow, love. Stay well._


	2. Chapter 2

She's still looking at her phone screen and smiling like an idiot when Snow opens the door to her. Unlike, well, everyone else, she doesn't say how awful she looks for a change.

"What's on that phone that's making my daughter smile so brightly?"

"Oh I just have the dorkiest, most amazing boyfriend...oh god, boyfriend, when did  _that_  happen?"

"I'd say sometime around a beanstalk..."

"Beanstalk? Oh my god, I..." She can't even go on, she just covers her eyes and laughs in defeat. Snow laughs along but soon enough stops, looking like she's about to cry.

"Mom...what happened?"

"It's nothing, honey, it's just...seeing you so happy, I can't contain my joy. This is all i've ever wanted for you!"

"I  _am_  happy. But Killian isn't the whole reason, you know."

"Oh I do, sweetheart, and trust me, this is all I've ever wanted for myself and your father too!"

They hug tightly for a while and the brunette gets down to business. "Now tell me, what's going on with you these past few days?"

"Well...basically I can't keep anything down, so I'm tired all the time and get headaches and nausea. I'm sure it's only some food poisoning, I just wanted my mom to take care of me tonight!"

"And take care of you I shall", she says with a smile that quickly turns into a grin, "but Emma, if you had a case of food poisoning severe enough to last for three days you wouldn't be able to stand on your feet right now!"

"Are you sure about that? What could it be then?"

"You seriously have no idea?" Snow can't believe just how daft Emma's being. It's not like that she hasn't gone through that before.

"I seriously don't! What do you think it is?"

"Well, doesn't it feel, you know,  _familiar_?"

And there she has it. Yes, it does. She's been trying to bury the memories from her time in prison and giving Henry up for so long that she hadn't even fathomed the possibility and...oh.

"No. No! It can't be,  _I_  can't be..."

"And why not? Pills aren't 100% effective, and neither are condoms!"

"Oh my god, I am not discussing my sex life with my mother, Jesus Christ!"

Snow laughs at her bashful 30-year-old daughter as she checks on a sleeping Neal in his nursery. When she reemerges, she has a sample book of wallpapers. "Fine, we don't have to talk about how you got pregnant, we can just discuss how we're gonna do your baby's nursery!"

Snow is so giddy she's practically skipping around the living room, and Emma just frantically shakes her head. "No, stop, what are you doing? How can you be so sure this is real? This is just a hunch, it could be something else entirely!"

"Emma honey...just think for a second. You know that's just not a hunch! And it's such a blessing, why are you so scared?"

"I am  _not_  scared, because it isn't happening! It can't be happening, mom, because I can't do this, I don't know how!"

"Sweetheart, may I remind you of a very intelligent and sensitive 12-year-old boy who's out on a camping trip right now? You  _have_  done this, and I'd say it turned out pretty well!"

"That was all Regina! All I did was give birth and then abandon him! I can't, I'm not cut out for this, this cannot happen, it cannot..."

She's hyperventilating now, and Snow realizes smiles and vague sweet compliments won't do the trick. It's time to get serious.

"Emma, you listen to me. Regina may have raised Henry without you until he was 10, but for the past two and a half years you've been a huge presence and influence in his life! He's still in his formative years, and if you haven't really shaped his personality you are  _definitely_  shaping his character. The man Henry's gonna be when he grows up is as much on you as it is on her. You know that."

Her mother has a point, and Emma's breathing starts to slow down. "I guess you're right, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't know the first thing about taking care of a baby!"

"Honey...well, I didn't either, and I'd like to think I'm doing fine!" Emma actually smiles at that, which encourages Snow to go on. "Besides...things are completely different now, you're not a teenager with no family or place to call your own! You've got us, and your job, and your apartment, and Henry, and Killian..."

"Oh god, Killian!" She's hyperventilating again and her mother's confused.

"Yeah...that dorky, amazing boyfriend you were talking about earlier. Why are you so upset now?"

"Oh, c'mon, mom! We've only been together for a few months, what do you think he's gonna do when I dump these news on him? Oh god, he's gonna want to run away from here so fast and I can't even blame him...but he won't be able to, of course, because he gave up the ship he's loved his whole life to find me and now he'll be stuck here with a kid and just -  _oh god_ , this is so awful!"

"Emma, are you listening to yourself? That man gave up something he loved for someone he loves and values even more! Sweetie, all it takes is spending two minutes with you two for anyone to see that!"

She smiles. She knows it's the truth. But still... "I know, mom, I do, but a kid changes things!"

"Sure, but that change doesn't have to be for the worst! Especially when you have a man as devoted to you as he is and who  _yearns_  to be a father as much as he does!"

"You really think so?"

Snow huffs. "Okay, have you just met Killian? Don't you see how much he loves and cares for Henry, and how much joy he gets from being around Roland and Neal or any other kid in this town? Emma, he is going to be on cloud nine when he hears about this!"

Yeah. She knows that too. Suddenly her heart is filled with peace and she wonders why she ever worried in the first place.

Oh yeah - herself. "Yes, he is amazing and so are all of you, but that doesn't make  _me_  any more fitting to do this!"

At this very moment the doorknob clicks and Charming enters the room. "No, it doesn't. What does is that you are now conscious of feeling and most importantly expressing all the love you have inside of you. You  _are_  the product of true love after all!"

"That I am!" Emma laughs to herself because what, now she's even talking like Killian? Okay then. "But hey, what are you doing here, weren't you supposed to be in the woods? Are Henry and Killian okay?"

"They are fine, probably cooking something with Roland and Robin at the camp this very moment. I am also fine, thank you very much", he says, pretending to have taken offense.

Emma rolls her eyes at her father's attempt at comedy and continues. "Good then! But you still haven't said why you're back here so soon!"

"Well..." Now both her parents look sheepish and hum. This should be good. "Your mother called me with the good news and she said you were concerned so I came to see you!"

"Wait a second, when did you do th...the samples!"

"Busted!" Snow has one hand up and a face that's asking for Emma's forgiveness.

"Oh Jesus Christ, mom, you really need to work on your secret-keeping skills!"

"In my defense, you never said it was supposed to be a secret! Besides, there's nothing I won't share with your father!"

"Not even your heart", says Charming with his arms around Snow and his lips on her forehead.

" _Especially_  not my heart. It's been yours from the start anyway."

Emma decides not to say anything to break their parents' sweet moment, but makes a mental note to tell someone to shake her if she and Killian ever get mushy like that - in front of other people anyway, otherwise her brain would have been irrevocably scrambled for months now. The thought makes her miss him and  _wait_. Killian.

"Dad...what did you tell him that he let you come alone?"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart, I said you guys were having trouble making Neal stop crying so it was dad to the rescue. After a 10-minute third degree from the pirate making sure it wasn't really you feeling worse, Robin gave me his keys and here I am! I'll go back in the morning with the truck."

"And he really didn't suspect anything?"

"Do you think for a second he wouldn't be here if he had? Don't worry...unlike your mother,  _I_  can keep a secret!"

"Hey!" says Snow with a light slap on his shoulders. "Well, anywho, we need to celebrate! I'll get Neal and we can all go to Granny's for dinner!"

"Yeah, except for the little problem that started this in the first place", says Emma, stopping them. "I can't go to a restaurant only to throw everything up!"

"True", agrees Charming, "but I have to say, sweetheart, you already do look much better than you did when we left you here. Perhaps now that you're not in denial and scared of what's happening your magic is healing you."

"Or maybe it's  _someone else's_  magic!"

Now Emma's concerned. "What do you mean, mom?"

"Well, this baby is a product of true love from a product of true love! I don't need Blue here to tell me this child is special!"

Emma needs to sit down for a bit. It's not like she didn't know in her heart what she has with Killian, but she'd never thought of it in those terms and it's a bit overwhelming, even if it's in the best way possible. Charming gets close to her, cups her head and kisses the top of it like he always does. "Now...shall we?"

"You guys are kidding, right? You wanna go out and let the whole town hear about me being pregnant before I tell the  _one_  person who actually needs to know? I don't think you're that good at keeping secrets either, dad!"

Charming rolls his eyes at Snow's triumphant expression, but concedes. "Fine. Some cocoa at home it is!"

Emma is disappointed for a second before she realizes  _she_  is the reason they're having their same old cocoa and not some champagne or anything else with alcohol. Then she smiles to herself because she knows her pirate and can already picture him vowing to quit drinking in solidarity to her.  _Dork._

It isn't long before the sweet and familiar smell of the cocoa fills her nostrils and wakes her from her daydream. She sees her parents smile at her and each other and realizes that their optimism has long stopped being infuriating and now only brings her hope and joy. They put their cups on the kitchen table and hold her into a tight hug.

"This child is going to be surrounded by love everywhere, Emma", starts Charming, always cupping her head. "And not the least of it will come from their own home. You and Killian are going to be  _amazing_  parents. We all know that."

"There is no such thing as perfect parenting, sweetheart", continues Snow, "and rest assured, you  _will_  make mistakes. But that's what makes the whole experience so wonderful and full of growth and, well, magical!" She holds her daughter tighter. "You already have the one essential thing, which is love for each other and the new life growing inside you."

Emma lets herself revel in her parents' affection and doesn't think about how she won't be able to sleep thinking of  _just_  the perfect way to tell Killian the news. Right now, she's just their little girl.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been completely uninspired all through the week and couldn't update any of my 3 ongoing fics (this one included) or start any of the prompts sitting in my askbox. This here was supposed to be the chapter in which Emma tells Killian she's pregnant, but all I could come up with was yet more Charming family feels. Hope this gets me going again and that you like it!

After daughter and parents make a toast with their cocoa mugs, they go sit together on the couch to watch a movie. All this closeness with  _mom and dad_  is usually a painful reminder of what Emma could have had as a child; this time, though, it makes her think that if she can have this after 28 years of being alone then maybe the little person that's coming in a few months doesn't have it that bad after all.

As they flip through the channels, the only request Emma makes is no fairytales or pregnant ladies. That visibly disappoints Snow, though Charming is all too-eager to comply. Eventually they come by one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and stay there.

"Do you guys think", says Snow five minutes in, "that Jack Sparrow is from our world? Everytime I think of these movies I wonder..."

"If he is, he isn't from the Enchanted Forest, otherwise we'd have heard about him", counters Charming.

"Are you guys serious? It's like Johnny Depp studied Killian and then exaggerated his mannerisms for comedic purposes!"

"Aw, someone's missing her pirate", says Snow with a knowing smile as Charming rolls his eyes pretending this isn't amusing him.

"Whatever, if you guys can't see what's in front of you then I can't help you!" Emma's tone is as if she was merely dismissing her parents' teasing, but the way she crosses her arms and sinks into the couch gives away her annoyance.

"Let's pretend our grown daughter isn't acting like she's five for a second", says a giggly Charming, earning himself an eyeroll. "Have you figured out how you're gonna tell him that you're now a family?"

"You know, you are awfully chipper about this for someone who's always giving him such a hard time because he's with your  _little girl_ " deflects Emma, punctuating that last expression with air quotes.

"First of all,  _young lady_ , you  _are_  my little girl and always will be." Emma gives him a big eyeroll. "So yes, I give Killian a hard time because any man would deserve it. Besides", he starts, changing his expression to a triumphant smirk, "don't you think I've earned it for having to deal with his constant cheekiness?"

"Can't argue with that, pops", she admits, "but that still doesn't explain you being so...happily calm about me having his baby!"

"Yeah, well, it's easier if you leave that detail out, I won't lie", says Charming, earning himself yet another eyeroll from his daughter, "but the truth is I can't think of a man who's more in love and devoted to a woman as he is to you."

Emma closes her eyes so that the tears won't fall - she doesn't know whether for the truth of that statement, for being reminded of how much she loves him in return, for hearing it from her father or for all of these reasons. Or maybe the pregnancy hormones. Yeah, definitely those, because she is  _not_ a sap, okay.

She can feel her father open his arms to hold her, but he's stopped mid-gesture by her mother, who clears her throat loudly at his last line. Charming is quick to remedy the situation.

"You know, not considering your parents, if course!"

"That's right!" Snow's smile is a proud one as her husband kisses her temple.

"Don't I know it", exclaims Emma, happy that her tears have turned into smiles again. "So now I will leave you two alone and go get some sleep, because the gods know I need it!"

As she walks inside her old room, her mother and father look knowingly at each other and decide not to tease her about the way she decided to end her sentence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so that's still not the chapter in which our favorite pirate (former pirate?) finds out, but he's finally here, there's actual CS here, so eeeeeee! I guess many of you will be frustrated at my inability to do smut there in the end, but hey, we all have our imaginations, so have fun and go wild! ;-)

The alarm clock on the nightstand says 05:37 when Emma's eyes suddenly open and she's completely awake. Realizing this is probably for having gone to bed early the night before, she decides she isn't gonna try to fall asleep again and gets ready to leave. It's probably better to tell Killian the news in the privacy of their own home than at her parents' anyway.

Well,  _her_  own home if she wants to get technical. Killian still insists on keeping his room at Granny's even though he stays over almost every night, helps with the cleaning and goes grocery shopping with her every week. A few weeks ago, when she brought up the silliness of it all for maybe the fiftieth time, he said it wasn't  _proper_  for them to be living together and that he would never subject her to the scrutiny of the townsfolk. Something in his eyes told her he was being truthful to his honor code and, well, his Enchanted Forest upbringing, but there was also a hint of a plea that she pretended not to have noticed.

She raises her eyebrows at herself when she realizes that it doesn't bother her that now he's probably gonna stop dropping hints and will be adamant about getting married. In a way they've been a fully committed couple since way before the time portal, so a piece of paper won't really change anything.

Not that she's gonna agree to it or anything. Not necessarily. Or that she's gonna change her name to Emma Jones. No sir. She may be his, body and soul, but she's no-one's property,  _thank you very much_. She can see  _him_  changing his name to Swan before she changes hers.

The thought makes her giggle as she makes her way through the living room in search of a pen and paper to leave her parents a note. That catches Snow's attention, who's up by the kitchen counter breastfeeding her brother.

"Hey! Sneaking out, young lady?"

"Oh, don't you start too! I woke up just because, so I decided to go home. Can you tell dad to drive Killian over there instead of here?"

"Sure, but...don't you wanna try to get some more sleep and have breakfast with us?"

"Thanks, mom, but I think I'm gonna use the extra time to sort things out at home. I didn't know I was gonna stay over when I left for the station yesterday so the apartment is kind of a mess", she says truthfully. "Besides...we wouldn't wanna risk you telling Killian anything before I did, now would we?"

She's already laughing when she turns around and sees her mother open her mouth in offense, unable to say anything to defend herself.

"Bye, baby Neal", she whispers as she feels a piece of cloth suddenly hit her back.

* * *

Turns out the apartment isn't in as much a mess as she remembered, so she decides to just take a shower and put on some pajamas. She doesn't even realize that the pair she chooses is the same she had on the day a mad man in leather came to her door in New York and brought her home.

Her alarm clock says 06:58 when she falls sleep again.

* * *

It's 09:24 when she wakes up for the second time today, only now it's with a kiss and the sweet burn of a scruff on her chin and cheeks. Instinctively, Emma wraps her arms around Killian and pulls him onto the bed.

"Hey you!"

"Well hello there, Swan! Your father did say you were feeling better but I was not expecting this!" His tone is seductive and disappointed in equal measure and it makes her put a hand on his chest to stop him from kissing her again.

"Killian Jones, are you  _upset_  that I'm not sick anymore?"

"No! How can you even imag-I would  _never_! It's just...I..."

"Well?"

" _Well_ , what did I do wrong that kept you sick for days and then just one night with your parents", he swallows hard, "and away from me could fix?" His voice is low and shaky and unsure, making Emma's heart grow ten sizes in her chest.

"Oh, honey, no!" She holds him, close peppering kisses from one cheek to another. "No, no, no, you didn't do anything wrong! It's just that sometimes...you need your mother's perspective to sort some things out."

He looks at her inquisitively, but before he can say anything she buries her hands in his hair...his wet hair.

"Wait a second...where did you shower?"

"Um...here? What's this about, love?"

"You mean to tell me you got home and took your sweet time showering before you even said hello?"

"I know how this little game of yours works, Swan, and I wasn't really in the mood to be kicked out of bed because I smelled like sweat and dirt", he says with a wink and a smirk.

"Oh I see! Guess I've domesticated you real good, haven't I?"

"No. No!" He calls her teasing and raises one of his own. "I merely know  _exactly_  how not to be denied what I want..."

"Oh is that so?"

"Sure is", he says, voice already muffled by his mouth being buried in her neck.

When his hook tugs at the waistband of her pajama pants, she's already too far gone. Ever since that time she's asked him to keep it because  _there's something weirdly sexy_  about the attachment he's never taken it off before sex again and she's never been more glad. She wasn't kidding, you know.

The pants hit the floor as the clock turns to 09.41.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, what you guys have been waiting for - Emma tells Killian they're gonna be a family at last. I hope it's up to your expectations!

It says 11:08 on the alarm clock when they roll off each other and onto their backs, breathless, spent and completely sated.

Once a little strength finds its way back to her body, Emma rolls back on her stomach and into Killian's arms, who starts to lazily trace an imaginary line along her spine.

"So beautiful...so bloody gorgeous..." he mutters, and it's all so soothing it's almost putting her back to sleep. But no, she can't. She has a mission and she's gonna get it done.

"You keep saying that."

"That's just what I see, love." His fingers never lift from her back and she actually blushes, but soldiers on.

"Well then what are you gonna say when it all fades when I'm old and wrinkly and saggy?"

"Emma..." he sighs like she's just said the silliest thing he can think of. Which she has. "The reason you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen or will ever see", he says with complete certainty with his voice, "isn't the way you look. It's the way your mere presence encourages me to be the best man I can be. A man who's worth love and friendship and is capable of living to make something good of his life instead of being a force for destruction." He says all of that in such a matter-of-fact way that Emma can't really tell whether he's trying to take the weight of his statement from his own shoulders or hers.

"Although", he continues, changing his tone back to his usual mix of sarcastic and sexy, "I will be the first one to admit that all of this", he says, his hand ghosting all over her naked body sprawled on the bed, "just the sight of it- hell, just the  _thought_  of it has the ability to drive me absolutely insane."

At this point, he's gotten off the bed and when her eyes find him he's already climbing back up, over her, from her feet up.

"I mean, really, how can I not? With those shapely legs that go for days," he says kissing both of them on his way up, "and this firm round arse that feels so good in my hand when I lift you up to me..." He takes the opportunity to bite tenderly her right cheek. It doesn't hurt, he just applies enough pressure for her to feel his teeth, and the unexpectedness of the action makes her squeak in delight as he keeps moving up.

"With this long, golden hair that's lit up my life from the very first time I saw it..."

With that last line his tone changed from seductive to completely earnest, which she can see in his eyes when he turns her on her back under him. They just stay like that for a while, smiling and gazing at each other's eyes, and then he suddenly buries his face in her neck.

"With this smooth neck whose every curve I know by heart..."

Oh gods, he'd better not hit  _that spot_  he knows always makes her ability to stop him disappear because...because...she needs to tell him something? What's that again?

Oh, it's gonna have to wait for now because his mouth is coming off the underside of her right breast and her mind is blank. Round two it is. Anything else, whatever it may be, can wait.

"...this small waist and flat yet strong belly..."

Okay then. She's back on track.

"Yeah, and you know how they say that when couples settle down they start letting go."

"Okay." He sits back on the bed in defeat, throwing his arms in the air. "Who says that, Swan?"

"Well, you know, couple therapists."

"I have no idea what you just said, love."

"They're people who help couples sort out their problems. You know, like Archie!"

He likes the cricket well enough, but not where this is going. Not one bit.

"Are you saying you consider us to have problems? Is this what you needed to  _sort out_  with your mother, Swan? Is she one of those  _therpist_  things?"

"Wait, what? No! That's not what I'm saying at all!"

"Then I'm at a loss here! I mean, one minute we're about to resume our welcome party, the next it's this and I..."

"Okay, okay, breathe, it's all good!" She's still laughing at  _welcome party_  as she tries to calm him down. Jesus Christ, what a huge dork. And all hers. "Killian, all I'm saying is that it's a widely known fact that established couples tend to let themselves go, you know, gain weight over time. The challenges of modern life coupled with the fact that they feel they don't need to seduce each other anymore, and then there's the fact that after a certain age it's more difficult for women to go back to their old bodies after a pregnancy..."

It takes a few seconds for him to figure out how none of this applies to them. "Hmmmmm...except that our  _modern life_  involves fighting magical villains from time to time, so we're hardly part of the norm, plus I will personally make sure that our sex life never  _ever_  gets predictable and boring, you can put that in writing."

"Maybe I will!"

Here it comes.

"And you're not-"

Much like a child getting caught grabbing a cookie before dinner, her expression becomes sheepish and his eyes widen, face becoming white as paper.

"Emma, if you're only trying to play a prank on me you can stop right now. You do  _not_  joke about this."

She's nervous because she can't read his spooked expression, can't tell if it's because he wants it to be true or not, so she decides to hit him with what she has: the truth.

"That's why I've been feeling bad for these past few days. My mom saw it right away, and once I realized she was right, once I accepted it, it's like I magically felt better! Well, I  _did_  magically feel better. Apparently it's kind of how it works in these parts when you're dealing with a product of true love." She finishes with an unsure smile that urges him to say something.

"You mean to tell me that in there..." he whispers, pointing at her belly while clearly trying to suppress tears.

"...is your little son our daughter!  _Our_  little son or daughter."

"Oh! Oh gods, oh!" He's running his hand up and down his face and she's still unsure of what he's thinking - until he starts frantically kissing the very spot he'd been pointing at. Emma thinks it's the most adorable thing she's seen in her life - until he starts speaking inbetween kisses, that is.

"Hey! Hey baby! It's your daddy. Hi! I love you so, so much!"

"The fearsome Captain Hook, who would have thought, huh? What would the other pirate captains say?"

"I do not bloody care what they or anyone else would think. My child's in here. My child..." He goes back to kissing and saying things to her belly.

"This  _very unfunny_  lady, no matter what she thinks - but you and I know the truth, don't we? Well, this lady, in case you didn't know yet, is your mum. Despite her blatant lack of humor" - that quip earns him a pillow thrown at his head - "she's the most brilliant, amazing woman that's ever lived in any of the realms. I'm not sure why she would ever even look my way, let alone-"

"Oh, come here, you idiot" she calls, tugging at his now completely dry hair, tears falling freely. He complies immediately, because how can he ever deny this goddess - the woman he loves, the mother of his child - anything? Once their bodies are aligned, she holds him all too tight, as if he'll be gone forever if she lets go even a little bit.

"At first I snapped at my mom, I didn't want to admit I was pregnant because I was so scared I couldn't do this!"

"Because of your boy." It isn't a question, it's a statement, because  _of course_  he understands. She nods into his neck and he goes on. "Emma, the situation with Henry was awful, it was extreme...you can't compare that experience with this one!"

Now her crying has stopped, and though she speaks in whispers her voice is firm. "I know, but that wasn't all. I know it seems silly now, but I was nervous about telling you too."

"About this little thing that is literally you and me combined in one being? How did it ever cross your mind that my reaction could be any different?"

She puts some distance between them so she can hold his head over her with both her hands, thumbs caressing his cheeks. "I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you!"

It's the first time she's ever said it. Not with her body or her eyes, but using these very words, and they both know it's a big deal. A huge deal, in fact. In true Emma Swan and Killian Jones fashion, though, they don't  _make_  a big deal out of it. He just smirks, and replies matter-of-factly.

"I know."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo, this is it, guys. I don't feel like I can continue this story all through the pregnancy, because I know myself and then I would have to include external conflict and a new villain and a lot of characters and this isn't what this one is supposed to be about. Maybe I'll revisit it someday, who knows? For now, have some fluff with hints of sexytimes. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Hopefully you'll enjoy whatever I come up with next! ;-)

"Good."

"Ah! Always gotta have the last word, don't you, Swan?"

"Weren't you supposed to be used to it by now?"

Whenever Emma thinks about it, it never fails to amaze her, this dance of theirs. He reveals he's traded a ship which served as his home and livelihood for three centuries for a chance - not even a guarantee - to find her? Without a word, she gets closer and kisses him with a softness and intimacy as if they've been doing it for years. She knocks on his door that very same night, unable to sleep because of how her being ultimately incapable of letting an innocent woman die has inadvertently turned Regina's life upside down? It's his turn to keep silent about how merely feeling his warmth can chase her guilt away and grant her a good night's sleep. She tells him they're gonna be a family and that she loves him for the first time? He makes one of his jokes and they fall back into each other's arms like it's any other day.

And there they are, going at it again - all laughs and kisses and it suddenly hits her that they've been  _very naked_  all this time, which only makes her laugh more. Oh gods, they are ridiculous. And she would never admit it out loud, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Her hands are everywhere, his face, his hair, his neck, his chest, and as they travel further down something in him snaps and he stands up.  _What the hell._

"Whoa whoa whoa Swan, what are you doing?"

"Really? You need me to spell it out? 'Cos that will be a first!"

"That's funny, no, what we were about do do...oh gods, what we just did!"

"Are you okay, Killian? 'Cos while we were doing what we just did you seemed pretty into it!"

"Well, yeah, of course, but I didn't... I mean, should we...? Is it good for the baby? It can't be good for the baby! Did we just damage her for life?"

"Oh, so we're having a  _her_  now?" She's had that same intuition since the talk with her mom last night, and now more than ever she's glad she never mentioned it to him because  _can you imagine that mushy idiot with a baby girl?_  Nah, she'll keep her mouth shut and hopefully she'll be able to keep him for herself at least through the pregnancy, because once Lily comes out she just knows she'll lose him and wait, what? When did she start coming up with baby names?

"It just came out, Swan, don't change the subject!"

Okay, no,  _this_  is the most adorable thing Emma's ever seen in her life: a grown man with a panicked expression that is showing genuine concern for their unborn child, but whose eyes are saying loud and clear  _maybe I did not think this through._  She can't be blamed for the loud, hearty laugh that she produces because really, that impossibly wonderful man, that ruthless pirate captain that can sometimes be so sweet and naive - may he never be able to hear her thoughts - will be the death of her someday. If happiness could kill, that is.

"No, honey, no...they say it's actually very good for the baby for the mom to have sex during the pregnancy."

"These  _therpists_  again?" She's still laughing, so he isn't quite buying.

"Sure." More laughs. What is her life. "And it makes sense...it's scientifically proven that the activity releases substances in your body that make you relaxed and happy, so how could that be bad for a baby?"

She knows all this science and substance talk is only starting to not be completely lost on him, so she tries to put it in terms that he'll certainly understand.

"When a woman is pregnant, the baby is  _literally_  part of her, part of her body, subject to what happens to her and what she feels. Right?"

He knows what she's doing. As much as it annoys him, what he calls  _dumbing things down_  for his benefit, he knows it's out of a genuine wish for him to understand the way things are dealt with and talked about in this world. Nobody expects him to grasp everything after just a few months of being settled in following centuries spent in other places and he realizes he shouldn't be so hard on himself, but still... He nervously scratches the back of his ear and urges her on. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Okay, so when we're... _together_ , do I not feel good and happy?"

"And then some, love. Open book." There's that smirk again.

"That's right, and the baby can feel it. His mom's happy, so he's happy."

"Or she."

"True, or she." Oh crap. She's  _definitely_  not telling him anything until the actual birth.

"So what you're saying", he starts, moving towards her with that glint in his eyes that never fails to make her weak in the knees, "is that not only us having sex isn't bad for the baby...but it's actually good?"

"That's right."  _And_  they're back on. She's consciously using a whispered, seductive tone now. "You see, Killian, the human body is like a highly coordinated and intelligent machine. Everything that's there is absolutely necessary" -  _well, except for the appendix_ , but why the hell did  _that_  just come to her mind? - "and works a specific way so that everything else can work perfectly as well."

She's saying this while running her nails through his chest hair, knowing fully well what this does to him. He's not the only one with a whole arsenal of tricks up his sleeve. His breath catches and he swallows deeply.

"I see."

"So, if that weren't true" - her eyes finally move from his torso to his own - "then why would pregnancy hormones make a woman  _so_." Pause. " _Horny?_ "

"Well because then that would be a bloody shame, now wouldn't it?" It's a wonder that he managed to get all of these words out before grabbing her hair and kissing her deeply.

"You bloody vixen..."

"Took you long enough, pirate!"

"Oh I don't think you quite know what  _long_  means, Swan!"

The alarm clock marks 12:12 when they fall together on the bed again.

* * *

It's 14:36 when they finally get up and put on robes. If their stomachs hadn't started growling, they would certainly still be in bed, oblivious to the fact that they haven't eaten all day.

Now that they have, though, they are very aware of just how hungry they are, and their options are either a pot of chocolate ice cream or waiting until they can get a proper meal ready. Emma promptly moves to the fridge to get the dessert while Killian grabs two spoons from the drawer.

"Just so you know, Swan", Killian says, thoroughly licking his spoon before putting it back inside the pot, "this is an emergency. That can't be good for the baby."

"Well you can prepare me a five-course, healthy meal for dinner that will take hours to make, but now it's this."

"Oh I will, you can be sure of that!"

"C'mon, don't be so grumpy! This is ice cream, it's sugar, how are you not happy?"

He can't help but crack a smile at her acting like a five-year old. It's just really adorable.

"See? Daddy happy, mommy happy, baby happy!" She's already moved to his chair, sat on his lap and started kissing him.

"Bloody hell, woman, are you trying to kill me?"

" _Fine_ , grandpa! I can take care of myself."

"You can, but you don't have to!"  _Bastard._  She'll teach him not to use meaningful words out of context. "Though if you insist on it for a few moments I shall not object!"

Oh, he's asking for it.

She unties her robe as she crosses the threshold, leaving it on the floor right outside the bedroom, and yells once she disappears inside.

"Killian? Bring the ice cream, will you?"

Coming right behind her with the pot of dessert in his hand, he puffs in pretend indignation. "Please, Swan, do you think I'm an amateur?"

Maybe tomorrow or next week or next month that state of pure bliss will be disrupted by the next magical villain, but right now it's all they know. They are happy.


End file.
